Transfer Week

Waiting at our station for the Cherry Blossom Festival

Missionaries at the Cherry Blossom Festival

Saturday Night at the temple with the Beezers and the Vogels!

Dear Family!

Well this week has had quite the number of changes and blessings. I don't even know where to start and sorry if it's a bit long.

Monday night right as our Preparation Day was ending we got the call about transfers. The transfer results are "Elder Mullen is going to Broadneck and Elder Bentley is receiving Elder Chamberlain." Well at first Elder Mullen was pretty mad, but I talked with him and he looked with home to the new transfer.

Tuesday we got news that we would be moving into our new apartment the day of transfers. Elder Miles (the guy over finding new apartments) called and asked a bunch of information about myself. Come to find out the lease is done in the name if the missionaries currently living there at the time. So I got to meet them in the office of the complex and sign a bunch of papers that were prepared for me. You could say that was a cool event in life.

Wednesday is when we had our Transfers. Elder and Sister Vogel picked us up so we could go all the way to the Temple. Thanks to them for all they do and all that they save for us. Here I picked up my new companion Elder Chamberlain. He is a super hard worker, obedient, humble, and all around a great missionary and guy. We got home from transfers and met Elder Miles again to get the keys to our new place. We stayed in the same complex, just moved to the complete opposite corner of the building. In a rush and hurry we started moving what we could to the new place. The zone leaders helped out which was a great blessing.

Thursday we planned to go out after we cleaned out the apartment. Little did we know how much stuff was accumulated there from all the missionaries who have lived there. You could say we spent a solid 11 hours cleaning, clearing, and moving things out that day. We were exhausted by the time we got home from the mission office. The Zone leaders took us home, (which was their new home for a few nights because they didn't have the needed things to get into the other apartment prepared for them. We drove through D.C. To save Miles and it was Elder Chamberlain's first time going through and seeing any of the monuments as a missionary. He was so excited to see them.

Friday when we thought we were finally out of the clear, we got to plan for the upcoming week. Since it was introducing a lot of new names and stories to our investigators it took a hefty amount of time. When we were ultimately finished, we go out to our car which we find out was dead. Elder Vogel saved the day! Two days in a row he has helped us with dead batteries. ( The moving truck had a dead battery) We got out and taught a great lesson to a Bible referral which brightened our spirits. 

Saturday we had the opportunity to help out at the Cherry Blossom Festival. This year instead of holding a balloon, I ushered. That was great because we got great shirts and got to talk with people. The parade was pretty great and we took lots of pictures. After the Parade we made our way home to change into suits. Elder Vogel and Sister Vogel picked us up again and took us to the Visitor Center at the temple. Ihsan and Tatiana met us there because they have never seen it. They loved it and are still on tract to get baptized this Saturday!! It was a great way to end the day. The spirit was strong, we have most of the lessons taught, and Elder and Sister Vogel took us to Olive Garden for dinner.

Sunday is where we saw a lot of blessings and work pay off. On top of Melissa, Ihsan and Tatiana coming to church, we were able to help teach a class to come ward missionaries. After we got out of church we got out working. I love it because Elder Chamberlain loves to work so it is easy to get out to proselyte. We taught a few lessons and called it a night.

Our new address for the apartment is: 

4701 Old Soper Rd Apt. 457 Suitland, MD 20746

Feel free to now send all those letters you've been withholding. ;)

This week we truly have seen how the Lord prepares those for his gospel. Please always extend your hand of fellowship to those who are new, members and Investigators alike. It truly touches their lives and helps them gain a testimony.

Love,

Elder Bentley